The Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations Project for Lake Mendocino—Lessons Learned So Far (Invited Presentation)

The Lake Mendocino Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations Project is a multi-agency collaborative effort exploring the possible benefits of incorporating weather forecast information into operations decisions at Lake Mendocino in the Russian River watershed, California. Located north of San Francisco Bay, the Russian River balances multiple water management objectives against available supply provided in part by storage in Lake Mendocino. Recent decisions limiting inter-basin transfers between the Eel and Russian Rivers have impacted supply reliability at Lake Mendocino. The Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations Study is one alternative being explored to restore lost supply reliability and improve flood management capabilities of the facility. The effort has been guided by a steering committee made up of representatives from federal, state and local agencies. During the epic water year of 2017, a comparison was made of actual operations and a proposed methodology that incorporates forecast information. This presentation will review the work completed to date, discuss recent findings related to flood management, and explore lessons learned that will help inform transferability of the concept to other reservoirs in California.